The present invention relates generally to detachable shoe coverings. More particularly, one aspect of the present invention relates to gaitors having track interface connections to articles of footwear. Another aspect of the present invention relates to converting shoes from a low profile to a high profile, and vice versa.
There are countless styles and configurations of footwear that are used in all types of climates and for all sorts of activities. In certain conditions it is desirable to have supplemental articles that connect to the footwear. A gaitor (or gaiter) is a detachable covering for use with shoes or other types of footwear. The gaitor can, for example, keep ice, snow, scree or other debris from getting into the interior of the shoe or from covering the laces or other structures for securing the footwear to the foot.
Gaitors may wrap around the wearer's ankle, up to the knee or any point in between and can attach to the shoe using conventional fasteners such as hook and loop fasteners (e.g., VELCRO® brand hook and loop fasteners), straps, zipper or snaps. Unfortunately, conventional fasteners may suffer from normal wear and tear or from environmental effects. For instance, after repeated connection and release, hook and loop fasteners tend to lose their ability to maintain a secure connection. Straps can freeze in cold weather and may become too stiff to wrap around the shoe and secure the gaitor. Buttons can break, button holes can become fouled with snow, ice, debris, etc., and the act of buttoning can be difficult in cold weather. Snaps and zippers tend to easily clog with snow, ice, debris, etc., making it very difficult for the user to fasten or unfasten the gaitor. Therefore, a need exists for an improved interface between the gaitor and the article of footwear that does not wear down and can function in extreme environmental conditions. Furthermore, there is a need for an interface that provides easy and fast attachment and removal.
As mentioned above, the present invention also relates to converting shoes between a low profile and a high profile. Shoes, and particularly boots such as work boots and hiking boots, can be designed to have either a low profile (such as “chukka” style boots) that do not cover the ankle or do not cover all of the ankle, or a high profile, extending around the ankle portion or higher of the shoe. High profile shoes, typically having a collar at the heel of the shoe of six inches or more in height, have the advantage of providing protection and support for the ankle of the wearer. But such added protection comes at the expense of decreased mobility and flexibility. Low profile shoes have increased mobility at the ankle. However, low profile shoes leave the ankle or the upper portion of the ankle unsupported and unshielded from the elements, which can be a disadvantage to the wearer in certain circumstances.
It would be highly desirable for a single shoe to incorporate all of the advantages of both low profile and high profile shoes. Unfortunately, however, no such combination of features has yet been developed in a single shoe. Alternatively, it would be desirable to provide a convenient method for converting a low profile shoe into a high profile shoe to allow the wearer to select the particular style of shoes to use without being forced to purchase two pairs of boots. Once again, however, no such method or footwear has yet been developed. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide the consumer with a simple and expedient method for converting a low profile shoe into a high profile shoe at a reasonable cost or vice versa.